Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As for most Arab nationals, 'home is where the heart is' for Bahrainis. Despite the im-
peratives of international business, time with the family is cherished, and the sense of
home is extended to the Bahraini community at large through many public-funded amenit-
ies and educational opportunities. After Ramadan, for example, Al-Fatih Mosque opens
its doors to free feasting for non-Muslims during
eid:
in some countries this would be in-
terpreted as proselytising; here it is a symbol of the infectious sense of home shared with
non-nationals.
Multiculturalism
Behind Bab al-Bahrain, at the heart of Manama, there is little besides shop signs in Arabic
to indicate that this is indeed part of Arabia. There are Indian and Pakistani shop owners,
Jewish money exchangers, Filipino hotel workers and occasional groups of US service-
men. The same could be said of Al-Seef, where the manicured gardens and bars of the
Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa and the international chain stores of Al-Seef Mall are
peopled largely by Western expatriates.
Indeed, in a country where nearly 32% of residents (44% of the workforce) are non-
Bahrainis or expatriates (Western expats comprise about 10% of the resident population),
it is surprising to find that such a strong sense of local identity has survived. This imbal-
ance, while harmonious for the most part, has been a source of political agitation too. In
1997, for example, a series of arson attacks were carried out by unemployed Bahrainis,
angry that jobs were being taken by workers from Asia. While the government has since
actively pursued a policy favouring the indigenous workforce, tensions continue to prevail
as educated Bahrainis find it difficult to compete in sectors with entrenched (and often ex-
perienced and skilled) expatriate workforces.
In common with other Gulf nationals, and despite a free and excellent education sys-
tem, many Bahrainis choose to study abroad, particularly in the USA and UK. They gen-
erally come back, however!
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Arts
There's a vibrant contemporary-arts scene in Bahrain. Exhibitions of local paintings regu-
larly take place at the Bahrain National Museum and at La Fontaine Centre of Contempor-
ary Art. There are also a few private galleries, often showcasing the work of the owner.
These include the Rashid al-Oraifi Museum in Muharraq and the Muharraqi Gallery in
A'Ali, which features the surreal works of Abdullah al-Muharraqi.